Good Vibes

Good Vibrations Guide to Sex, Politics, Media and Culture

Meet Our Teachers–Sex Nerd Sandra!

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We’re so happy to welcome Sex Nerd Sandra back to Good Vibrations! She’s doing two classes — one Monday night and one Tuesday — and her cheeky and accessible take on sexuality is not to be missed! Her class info and ticket links are below. Scroll down for our chat. Come see her! –Carol Queen

sandra smile Final 2

CQ: So many people think that “sex is natural” and that you don’t have to learn the basics. What can people gain by starting at Square One with sex play?

Sandra: Goodness, I used to believe “Sex is Natural,” too! Sex is a natural urge, sure, but that doesn’t mean we instinctually know how to do it. Hunger doesn’t teach us how to cook a meal. Same idea. With food, imagine if you never, ever, ever saw someone eat. You’d have to figure it out for yourself, sure, but how wonderful it would be to take a cooking class! That’s what my Boning 101 workshop is all about, except, of course, not about food. Heh!

 

CQ: If you could name just one thing that you think many people having sex get wrong, what would it be?

Sandra: We need to stop with all this winner vs loser stuff, as if sex has to be some battle for power. Sex can be a collaborative, on-the-same-team experience with both people walking away the better for it. That’s why I end every episode with “Go Team Fun!” It’s the truth.

 

CQ: Kink—so many people think it’s heavy and serrrrrious! You make it sound like fun. What’s up with that? Why do you compare this kind of play to a rollercoaster?

Sandra: Because adrenaline is fun! As I say in my Playful Kink! class, we humans are good at finding safe ways to take advantage of our fight or flight system. It’s why some of us like scary movies. Kink is meant to be safe, while making it feel as dangerous as we want. The laughter is a given. Sure, kink can be serious, but it doesn’t have to be heavy.

 

CQ: Do you notice a big upsurge in interest in kinky play since certain best-selling books came on the scene? What do you think people new to kink are especially looking for, and how can they best get it?

Sandra: Ha, I love dishing the dirt to someone curious about kink. My class is all about it. Taking a workshop like that would be a great way to dip their toe in. It’s like a reawakening. As a culture, we seem to have discovered this whole new way to feel sexy and now the next step is finding out how to tap into it in real life. It can be quite the refresh button. Thank goodness more people know about it.

 

CQ: Tell us more about your podcasts! What are you up to (and what do you seek to accomplish) when you get out the mic?

Sandra: I just released my 160th episode! Holy cow. I’ve been creating downloadable radio on Chris Hardwick & Legendary Entertainment’s Nerdist Podcast Network since 2011. I continue to learn so much exploring a topic on sex & love each week.

My goals are simple. I try to shed light on a neat aspect of our humanity while wrestling with my own relationship with the topic. At my core, I am still that nerd about sex, obsessive, passionate and frustratingly awkward. A trifecta. The blessing and the curse of it is wanting to share this knowledge with others. It’s been a blast so far.
Boning 101
Monday, September 15th, 2014
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
$20 in advance, $25 at the door, as space allows
Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/845213

Ready to learn the foundations of fantastic sex? Whether you’re a nookie ninja or never been kissed, join Nerdist Industries podcaster Sex Nerd Sandra for an eye-opening look at the spectrum of pleasure! She’ll share universal skills for using your mouth, hands and hips to seduce, play and initiate effective foreplay, create surprising sensations and unlock orgasm for everyone!
Playful Kink!
Tuesday, September 16th, 2014
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
$20 in advance, $25 at the door, as space allows
Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/845220

Roller coaster your sex life! Discover simple techniques culled from the world of kink to brighten your bedroom. Sex Nerd Sandra takes you on a friendly tour of the mysterious side of sex. Topics include an introduction to BDSM, sensual spanking, orgasmic bondage, role-play, safety and a surprising peek into adult fantasy.

 

 

Dr. Carol Queen

Carol Queen has a PhD in sexology; she calls herself a "cultural sexologist" because her earlier academic degree is in sociology: while she addresses individual issues and couple's sexual concerns, her overarching interest is in cultural issues (gender, shame, access to education, etc.). Queen has worked at Good Vibrations, the woman-founded sexuality company based in San Francisco that turned 35 years old in 2012, since 1990. Her current position is Staff Sexologist and Good Vibrations Historian; her roles include representing the company to the press and the public; overseeing educational programming for staff and others; and scripting/hosting a line of sex education videos, the Pleasure-Ed series, for GV’s sister company Good Releasing. She also curates the company's Antique Vibrator Museum. She is also the founding director of the Center for Sex & Culture, a non-profit sex ed and arts center San Francisco, and is a frequent lecturer at colleges, universities, and community-based organizations. Her dozen books include a Lambda Literary Award winner, PoMoSexuals, and Real Live Nude Girl: Chronicles of Sex-Positive Culture, which are used as texts in some college classes. She blogs at the Good Vibes Magazine and at SFGate's City Brights bloggers page and contributes to the Boston Dig. For more about her at carolqueen.com.

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